I knew going into trading my 35mpg neon for this dodge ram that there was going to be a drastic mpg change, and it was something I was willing to take because I just liked the truck so much. But it seems like my Ram is doing worse than I thought it would. When I first bought the truck, my overhead computer rated me at 12-12.5mpg for this first two months I owned it. To me, that seemed reasonable considering it was a 360 and that it had 35" tires, so I accepted it. Now my overhead rates me at 9.5-10mpg, and its accurate. I don't know what happened. Did it get accustomed to my driving styles? I couldn't imagine it'd change an entire 2mpg from the last guy who owned it to me? Today I filled up my entire tank and it says I'm only going to get 220 miles till empty. It's somewhat annoying. You guys think a tune up could fix this? I haven't gotten a tune-up since I've owned the truck so maybe that's it? I mean I guess I am happy I'm getting more than my brother lol, he gets 7mpg on his 460 and he runs relatively small tires (265's)...that thing is a true pig lmao. Anyway, your help would be admired, I'd like to bring it up a bit more, even to 11mpg.

 

its colder so the air is more dense so it requires more fuel

also i think in winter, in the states that have temps on average under the 50s will have a different type of gas for the temp change

 

A tune up isn't going to hurt anything other then the money and time spent. I wouldn't expect a big increase, but it might get you back up to where it was. Have you changed tires since you first owned the vehicle. I only bring this up because I swap summer/winter tires on and it makes my speedometer read slightly different because the sizes of the tires are slightly different sizes then how it was calibrated to for stock. And yes...they do have a different blend gasoline up in northern areas in the winter. But I don't notice that much of a drop in my mpg. A little bit only because the size of tires I'm running right now.

 

Well firstly, you guys give good input. Secondly, I just want to apoligize if I came off weird posting this in a neon forum. I thought I posted this in a ram forum lol!! Sorry if it came off weird of a ram guy leaving this gas problem on a neon forum haha, must of looked so weird! Thanks though guys!!

 

WEIRDO!!!!!!!

Jk.

See what you get for selling the neon...but atleast your truck still has ***** when you turn on the A/C!

 

lmao oh yes, the forbidden a/c! I remember I'd give ppl the dirtiest look when they'd turn the a/c on me haha! That was a cool little car though, it'd kickass if i could have both. Have the big beasty loud black truck for fun, and then for errands and long trips, take the quick fuel efficient black car out with some nice curb appeal/.

 

First off make sure you do mehanical mileage too (with a calc) My overhead is not accurate except on the highway.

My mileage starts to drop when i need plugs, that would be my first reccomendation. NO fancy ones, just standard copper ones. should help your problem. From there i would change out your PCV valve, then all your fluids. but the plugs should do it.

Great looking truck BTW

 

I just traded my '04 Dodge Ram 3.7L for an '05 Neon so I'd get better mileage, LOL. Seems like we both took the oppsite path. My 3.7L was getting about 18mpg city and 22mpg hwy., from what I've figured so far(just a rough estimate) the Neon is getting about 26mpg city and I'm LOVING it. It seems to have just as much pep as my truck, maybe even a bit more. My only complaint is the cramped quarters. I'm 6'4" and 280lbs so the room I had in my truck was really nice. In the Neon I need a shoe horn to get into the seat, LOL.

 

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Eventually, for no particular reason, your neon will eventually get the same MPG as your old truck.